Funky Monkey cleared by Portman Group

A complaint made against vodka shot brand Funky Monkey has been dismissed by The Portman Group's independent complaints panel.

The panel, which rules on the naming, packaging and promotion of alcoholic drinks, rejected the complaint that the brand, owned by Independent Distillers UK, appealed to under-18s.

The panel decided that neither the brand name, certain flavour variants nor the monkey image on the label were in breach of The Portman Group's code of conduct.

Independent Distillers said that before the complaint had been received about the product it had already decided to remove the monkey device from the labels and focus on the brand name.

The company said it had also decided to change the flavour names of three variants in the range: Kola Kube would change to Kola, Bubblegum would change to Blue and Cheeky Cherry would become Cherry.

In recent months the panel has cracked down, upholding complaints against Kalashnikov Vodka, Rocket Fuel Vodka, Mickey Finn's Spiked Sour Apple and Moonshine Schnapps, Hot Shotz test tube drinks with names like Multiple Orgasm and Sixty Niner and Vodka Twistee Shots/Vodka Mudshake condoms.

Meanwhile, Jean Coussins, chief executive of The Portman Group, has paid tribute to former police commissioner Lord Condon, who after five years as chairman of the complaints panel has announced he is to step down at the end of 2006.

"Lord Condon's excellent and balanced chairmanship of the panel has done a great deal to consolidate its genuine independence," she said.

"Drinks producers may not always agree with the panel but they always respect its authority and comply with its decisions. This is effective self-regulation which operates in the interests of both the industry and consumers."